The board of the Memphis and Shelby County Economic Development Growth Engine approved Wednesday, Oct. 17, a 15-year payment in lieu of taxes agreement with Nike Tn. Inc. for a $301 million expansion of its Northridge plant in Frayser.

At the end of a long night at City Hall with a relatively short agenda, Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism told Memphis City Council members that their meetings looked like more “fun” than the commission’s meetings.

Memphis City Council members recommended Tuesday, Oct. 16, sending a plan to the Land Use Control Board that calls for the revitalization of the Vance Avenue area and leaves the Foote Homes public housing development intact.

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host the “Lawyers as Problem-Solvers: New Directions. New Voices” conference Thursday, Oct. 18, and Friday, Oct. 19, at the law school, 1 N. Front St. Visit memphis.edu/law for details.

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. joined with representatives from the Smithsonian-developed Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum Tuesday, Oct. 16, in announcing the launch of a Memphis Music Hall of Fame tribute to the city’s musical legends.

Upon graduating from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2000, Josh Spickler took a fortuitous first step into his legal career with the Shelby County’s Office of Public Defender under A C Wharton Jr.

Ray’s Take With savings interest about nil and the stock market still volatile, a lot of people are wondering about paying off their mortgage early. For some, this may be a good idea, as we have all discovered a healthy respect for debt, but for other homeowners, there may be better options for extra cash.

When I first read James H. Boren’s 1972 classic, “When in Doubt, Mumble,” I thought it was the funniest thing I’d ever read. Forty years later, having read hundreds, maybe dozens, of books purporting to be (a) humorous, and (b) about law, business, government or politics, I still believe Boren’s work is the cream of the crop.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – The Arkansas Department of Health says some products manufactured by a Massachusetts company whose steroid products are linked to a meningitis outbreak were shipped to Arkansas.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Lance Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer-fighting charity and Nike severed ties with him as fallout from the doping scandal swirling around the famed cyclist escalated Wednesday.